SEARCH!!!
Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 29-30
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here is the tel Herodian. It is located just southeast of Bethlehem. Excavations have revealed Herod’s Fortress Palace. Perhaps he was in this stronghold when he ordered the slaughter of the children in Bethlehem.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Jeremiah 29:11-13
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says the Lord, “thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Our key verse is true for all people at all times, a good verse to memorize! It’s a guarantee of strength when one feels under pressure and vulnerable!
David Reynold’s photograph above speaks to the practice of empire builders of appointing puppet kings in the conquered regions. Everything was O.K. as long as the king ensured that taxes were paid to overlords (in Herod’s time, the Romans, and in Zedekiah’s time, the Babylonians).
Most of us do this blog for inspiration, but here’s some information. King Josiah, a king who did right before God, had sons who were corrupt and did evil in God’s eyes. The ones that ascended to the throne were Johannan, Shallum, Jehoiakim (his son Jeconiah), and Zedekiah (1 Chronicles 3:15). All reigned for very short periods of time. Jeconiah was taken to Babylon in the first captivity with others, including Ezekiel and Daniel. These displaced persons were treated rather well. The Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar obviously believed that Zedekiah would be content to be a puppet ruler and submit to every order from Babylon. That was not the case and when Zedekiah asserted Judah’s sovereignty, Nebuchadnezzar invaded again (11 years later) and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon. He took Zedekiah and the people as slaves to Babylon (modern-day Iraq).
Words worth noting are “diminished” and “increased” (Jeremiah 29:6b). It’s our choice.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray fervently that I will, 24/7, do as Jeremiah’s letter exhorts me…search for You with all my heart. You are not hiding! I see You clearly in the Life and Words of my Saviour and Lord, Jesus, Messiah, in Whose Name I pray. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Several times I have walked to the top of Herodian (pictured above) and meditated on the life of a king who, like Zedekiah, owed his throne to a foreign emperor. King Herod was totally spooked by the possibility of rebellion of his own family members and the people of Jerusalem. He murdered family members and anyone suspected of disloyalty, but he never rebelled against Rome. He constantly pandered to Caesar and with brutality collected the tribute from the Jews, sending great amounts of money to Rome.
I must not pass up the opportunity here on today’s blog to testify to the fact that the promise of our key verse is so very true (Jeremiah 29:11-13). The week I turned 17, at the altar in the tabernacle at Lakeshore Pentecostal Youth Camp in Cobourg, Ontario, I believe that I did seek God with all my heart. He found me, and I found Him in such a life-changing new direction that I’ve never been the same! He gave me a “FUTURE” such as I could have never imagined, and a “HOPE” which has been a constant throughout 62 years since that pivotal moment!
Yours for our “search” for God with the help of daily Scripture readings, daily prayer and this daily blog!!!
David
On top of Herodian recording a Christmas Special, November 2013. Bethlehem is in the distance behind me.
This is a model of Herod’s fortress palace. Herod’s fears were not of the Roman overlords, but of his own people.
Praise God for keeping us on track with this blog, every morning, David. I prayed on my hands and knees, this morning, for you, and all the saints, and for everyone at my evangelical church, Kingsway Christian Church. God has planted the seed of love through Jesus Christ, His son, and our Saviour, that it may grow, here on earth, as it is in heaven. We are called as Christians to cultivate that seed, nurture it and spread it to all we meet, along the way, in our journeys. Let us never forget the sacrifice that He made for our souls, that we may be free and have eternal life, in His glory! We sing our praises, to You, Jesus, amen!! God’s blessings, fellow saints!!
He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot– come, let us rejoice in him. Psalm 6:66 NIV
I See Heaven – Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger – Bethel Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtIiPXBv7fs
It is God’s kingdom not Caesar’s!
Shalom,
Graham.
I am forever grateful that God has a plan for my life and I would not want to be anywhere else.
As A child I loved the song I Love to hear the story which angel voices tell.
I am not good at posting the link but if you google it you can find it.
Blessings and thanks fellow saints
Here it is, Catherine; beautiful song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJDlxnpjYFw
Ha ha,You must have posted just before me,same link.Blessings
🙂
The only one I could find that was ‘hearable’:
https://youtu.be/eJDlxnpjYFw
This verse in Habakkuk 3:2 seems to fit what is happening in Jeremiah now. “O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” We pray that for today as well Lord. Thank you for this blog David that keeps us focused. Thanks for all the links saints!
And photos David and Reynold. Going through all the videos I took in Israel last year and it’s like taking the trip all over again. Glorious! Put some on my Facebook page too and my family likes them.
There is a key to finding God.If you search ”with all your heart”,He will find you.(That was my experience so I assume others have had the same experience.)
“…call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
……………………..
After finishing the blog,I see David had the same ‘perspective’.It was an honest statement by me so I will leave it.Thank you again and may God bless
Child Of God
May his smile shine on you from above,
May blue skies bless your day,
And may your heart know His love
That shines His light before your way,
For you are a true child of God
When you choose to walk His path,
And the load you carry as you trod
Will keep you safe from Satan’s wrath.
GW(Bill) Marshall / 08-Sep-2015
Thankyou to all who prayed for my daughter Charlene. It is greatly appreciated.
Update on Mary Stewart: There has been no oozing from the wound now for one week. Praise God. She has some appointments and X rays these next 2 weeks and if all goes well the new hip joint will hopefully be put in after that. Thank you all for your continued prayers.
Praise God for all who believe I listen to the song I see heaven and the holy spirit lifted me up . In our church Debbie dances like the lady there with the holy spirit it
is beautiful to watch her. Also I listened to one you mentioned Bill its been along time
since I heard a choir we don’t have one it was nice to hear again .
Thank you David for all you and your family who do our blog every day .
Lianne Hogg
Great pictures Pastor David and commentaries. You look calm and relaxed upon that mountain. Bless you! I agreed in prayer with you. Amen!
Our key scripture is one of my favorites…and I have prayed it often for myself and for others. How special!!!
What a beautiful and a glorious day to rejoice in the Lord: Praise His Holy Name His thoughts towards us are for good and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope…we can call on Him and He will listen…What a wonderful and awesome God!!! Thank You Jesus!!
“I love You Lord, and I lift my voice to worship you, O my soul rejoice, take joy My King in what You hear, let it be sweet, sweet, sound, in You ear.”
Lord we come to You and ask for Your Healing Touch over Mary Stewart!
Remove ALL infection! Clean up this wound!
We pray Lord You will bless the staff who cleans the Hospital! We pray Lord that there be no staff infection
We pray for Your blessings over the Medical staff who are involved in the surgery and recovery of this precious child of Yours!
We pray You Lord will keep Mary`s spirit positive and we pray Lord that she will feel your presence and will sing praises of healing and thanksgiving to You her Lord and Saviour We pray this in Jesus Name AMEN!
TY Lord for swimming!
Bless Lacy as she goes to school, works part time and is planning a trip to Australia! Bless Lindsay and her work with the youth in my town, bless Shawn that he calms down and I pray the Holy Spirit will speak to the present Mayor and Council and look into safety issues in the community!Bless Josh at the Convenience store,, he is planning to go to College and become a Student Councillor! He would be very good for that work!
Lord bless me with a financial breakthrough! I desire to clear loan and help family/friends/missions and invest some for a better income Thank you Lord for this day! In Jesus Name I Pray AMEN